Apparatus for roughing the overlasted portions of the bottoms of shoe uppers

ABSTRACT

The invention is concerned with the manufacture of articles of footwear of the type in which a sole is bonded to the margin of the upper. The invention contemplates the provision of an apparatus for roughing the margin of the upper of a partially fabricated article by one or more roughing tools. The position of each roughing tool being automatically varied during the roughing cycle to maintain the roughing tool in a substantially constant angular position relative to the bottom of the article in which the angular transverse position of each roughing tool relative to the bottom may be varied during the roughing cycle, and in which the pressure applied to each roughing tool is automatically adjusted during the roughing cycle in accordance with variations in the profile of the bottom. The invention also provides an automatically adjustable last which is always maintained at the right height for proper roughing of the overlasted margin of the bottom.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Waldemar Schilke Trenton, Ontario, Canada [21 1 Appl. No. 829,345

[22] Filed June 2, 1969 [45] Patented Sept. 7, 1971 [73] Assignee Bata Shoe Company of Canada Limited Batawa, Ontario, Canada [32] Priority June 3, 1968 [33] Canada [54] APPARATUS FOR ROUGHING THE OVERLASTED PORTIONS OF THE BO'I'IOMS OF SHOE UPPERS 7 Claims, 19 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 69/65, 12/1 7 [Sll ln1.(.l. (Il4hl/44 [50] Field ol Search 69/65; l2/l7;5l/l65.()l,165.113

[56] References (filed UNITED STATES lA'l'liN'lS 3,163,031 l2/l964 Kcstcll 69/65 3,233,438 2/1966 Hansen etal. 69/65 Primary ExaminerAlfred R. Guest Atl0rney-lrving M. Weiner ABSTRACT: The invention is concerned with the manufacture of articles of footwear of the type in which a sole is bonded to the margin of the upper. The invention contemplates the provision of an apparatus for roughing the margin of the upper of a partially fabricated article by one or more roughing tools. The position of each roughing tool being automatically varied during the roughing cycle to maintain the roughing tool in a substantially constant angular position relative to the bottom of the article in which the angular transverse position of each roughing tool relative to the bottom may be varied during the roughing cycle, and in which the pressure applied to each roughing tool is automatically adjusted during the roughing cycle in accordance with variations in the profile oi'the bottom. The invention also provides an automatically adjustable last which is always maintained at the right height for proper roughing of the overlasted margin of the bottom.

PATENTEU SEP 7197: 3603." 120 SHEEI 1 OF 8 PATENTED SEP 1 l97| SHEET 2 OF 8 :HHHM,

PATENTED SEP 7 I971 SHEET 3 [IF 8 PATENTEDSEP new 3603 120 saw 5 or a PATENTEI] SEP 71911 SHEET 6 [IF 8 PATENTEI] SEP 7 I974 SHEET 8 [IF 8 APPARATUS FOR ROUGI-IING THE OVERLASTED PORTIONS OF THE BOTTOMS OF SHOE UPPERS This invention relates to machines for roughing the overlasted portions of the bottoms of shoe uppers prior to attachment of soles thereto.

In the manufacture of shoes of the type wherein an overlasted shoe upper is to be bonded to a sole, in order to secure a good bond between the margin of the shoe upper and the sole it is necessary to roughen the margin'of the shoe upper. Heretofore this roughing operation has generally been effected by an operator whose job it is manually to guide the shoe against a rotating roughing tool. This requires great skill on the part of the operator since the shoe must be guided in a manner such that the margin portion thereof is completely rouged while avoiding engagement of the roughing tool with those parts of the upper which are visible after the sole has been bonded to the upper. To prevent such damage to the upper the operator usually employs a guide plate which exposes only that part of the upper which is to be roughened. This, as will be appreciated, necessitates provision of a mu]- tiplicity of guide plates to enable shoes of various sizes and styles to be worked and in practise the guide plates require frequent replacement since portions thereof are inevitably contacted by the wire bristles of the roughing tools resulting in damage both to the guide plates and to the roughing tools. To overcome these disadvantages in the manual process of roughing, proposals have already been made for machines which will automatically rough the overlasted margin of a shoe upper and the present invention is directed to improvements in such automatic roughing machines.

It is an object of the invention to provide an automatic shoeupper roughing machine adapted to operate on shoes of all sizes and styles in which the angular longitudinal position of the roughing tool relative to the shoe bottom is automatically varied during the roughing cycle to maintain the roughing tool in a substantially constant angular position relative to the shoe bottom throughout the roughing cycle and in which the angular transverse position of the roughing tool relative to the shoe bottom may be varied during the roughing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic shoe-upper roughing machine in which the pressure applied to the roughing tool and consequently the pressure applied by the roughing tool to the overlasted marginal portions of the shoe upper is automatically adjusted during the roughing cycle thereby taking account of variations in the profile of the shoe bottom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shoeroughing apparatus in which the last, on which a partially fabricated shoe is mounted preparatory to the roughing operation, is automatically adjustable to ensure that the last is always set at the required height for proper roughing of the whole of the overlasted marginal portion of the shoe bottom.

In accordance with the foregoing and other objects, the present invention contemplates the provision of an apparatus for automatically roughing the overlasted margin portions of a partially fabricated shoe, said apparatus including a pair of roughing tools; means for rotating said roughing tools at variable speed; means for moving a lasted, partially fabricated shoe, past said roughing tools; means for automatically adjusting the angular relationship of said roughing tools in both a longitudinal and a transverse direction whereby to maintain the roughing tool in substantially constant angular relationship relative to the bottom of said shoe during a roughing cycle; and means for automatically varying the pressure exerted by said roughing tools on the shoe during different parts of a roughing cycle.

Preferably the means for varying the longitudinal and transverse angular relationship of said tools relative to the shoe bottom are pneumatic. Also provision is made in the apparatus for varying the longitudinal angular setting of the roughing tools at two or more different points in the roughing cycle and the transverse angular setting at one or more different points in the roughing cycle whereby to maintain the roughing tools at a substantially constant angle relative to the shoe bottom during each part of the roughing cycle.

In one preferred form of the invention the pressure applied by the roughing tools to the shoe bottom is pneumatic pressure and different pressures are applied to the shoe bottom at the toe, the shank and the heel portions thereof. The different pressures may be supplied from high, medium and low pressure sources with changeover from high to medium to low pressure occurring in sequence at points in the roughing cycle at which the roughing tool moves from engagement with the toe to the shank and thence to the heel portions of the shoe bottom respectively.

Desirably the changes in the longitudinal angular setting of the roughing tools relative to the shoe bottom occur simultaneously with the changes in the pressure applied to the roughing tools.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention means are provided for automatically adjusting the height of the heel portion of the shoe above the last carrier on which it is mounted during the roughing cycle to a predetermined height.

Other features which may be incorporated in the apparatus according to the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show exemplary embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a roughing machine according to the invention;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary elevational view, taken in the direction of the arrows 1A1A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 1B is a fragmentary plan view;

FIG. 1C is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line lC-1C and partly in elevation;

FIG. 2 shows in perspective a detail of the compound slide member;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are top plan and side elevational views respectively of the transverse tilting assembly;

FIG. 4 illustrates diagrammatically the manner in which the roughing tools are tilted in a longitudinal direction relative to the shoe bottom;

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate diagrammatically the manner in which the roughing tools are tilted in a transverse direction relative to the shoe bottom;

FIGS. 6A and 6B show in schematic form the arrangement for applying variable pressure to the roughing tools;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the pneumatic control system;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are plan and side elevation views-showing the last carrier and associated cam mechanisms; and

FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C are side elevation, end elevation and plan views respectively showing the arrangement for adjustment of the last height.

Throughout the following description and in the accompanying drawings like parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

The partially fabricated shoes are adapted to be moved along a predetermined path through the roughing apparatus and to be operated on by a pair of roughing tools 2 as shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. I it will be seen that the roughing tools 2 are pivotally mounted on a mounting compound slide 13 reciprocable on vertical shafts 4 disposed on opposite sides of a support frame 10 which latter is mounted on a table 12. The compound slide 13 as best seen in FIG. 2 comprises a vertical slide member 14 mounted for reciprocable movement in a vertical plane on the shafts 4 and includes a cross slide member 16 mounted for reciprocable movement in a horizontal plane on the shafts 17. The roughing-tool head is mounted on a radial slide tool-support member 18 which in turn is mounted for rotational movement on an arcuate cam 19 formed on the front vertical face of cross member 16.

The last carriers 64 are mounted for movement through a predetermined path along the table 12, respectively on radially extending arms 3 of a spider 4, affixed onto a vertical driven shaft 5, as shown in FIG. 9C. Opposite sides of each lasted and partially fabricated shoe are adapted to be moved by the spider 4 past the pair of oppositely disposed roughing tools 2 which are rotatably driven in opposite directions by a suitable variable-speed drive through the flexible drive shafts 20. The roughing tools are mounted so as to be angularly adjustable in both the longitudinal and transverse directions relative to the bottom of the shoe upper. The longitudinal angular adjustment of each roughing tool is accomplished by means of an actuator or air cylinder arrangement generally designated 21 which is hingedly secured at one end to the pivot bracket 22 and is secured at its other end to the bracket 6 of the roughing tool. The transverse angular adjustment of the roughing tool is effected by means of a second actuator or air cylinder arrangement generally designated 30 which is hingedly connected at one end to the cross slide member 16 of the compound slide 13 and hingedly connected at its other end to the radial slide tool-support member 18.

In operation, the leading, i.e. the toe end 38 of one side of a lasted shoe upper (See FIG. 4) initially passes beneath one of the roughing tools 2 which commences to rough the overlasted margin portion on one side 'of the shoe and at a slightly later point in the cycle the leading i.e. toe end 38 of the overlasted margin portion on the other side of the lasted shoe upper is engaged by the other roughing tool, the overlasted margin portions on both sides of the shoe thereby being roughed by the two roughing tools.

Since the profile of the shoe bottom is irregular, the pressure exerted by the roughing tool against the overlasted margin portions should desirably be variable during the roughing cycle. Heretofore in apparatus of this type the pressure exerted by the roughing tools against the overlasted marginal portions of the shoe has been maintained constant during the roughing cycle, the customary practise being, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 68, to provide the roughing tool with a constant counterweight 44 which counterbalances the roughing head. With this known arrangement the difference in the weight of the roughing head and the counterweight is relied on to provide the necessary roughing pressure. This of course means that the roughing pressure is constant throughout the roughing operation from the toe to the heel portion of the overlasted margin portion of the shoe bottom. However, it will be appreciated that the sole-attaching surface, i.e. the overlasted margin portion of the shoe bottom, is of irregular profile and in view of this a more satisfactory and uniform roughing would be obtained if account were taken of these irregularities in the profile and the roughing pressure were variable at different parts of the roughing cycle. Thus in roughing the upwardly inclined, i.e. the toe, part 38 of the shoe bottom, the roughing operation requires relatively low roughing pressure while in roughing the downwardly inclined, i.e. the shank, part 40 of the shoe bottom, a relatively high roughing pressure is required. Again the heel portion 42 of the overlasted shoe bottom lies in a substantially horizontal plane and requires slightly more roughing pressure than the upwardly inclined toe portion 38 of the shoe bottom, and slightly less roughing pressure than the downwardly inclined shank portion 40 of the shoe bottom. In particular, it will be appreciated that at the transition from the upwardly inclined toe portion 38 to the downwardly inclined shank portion 40 of the shoe profile an increased pressure is necessary in order to maintain the roughing tool against the surface to be roughed.

In accordance with the present invention, to overcome this problem a counterbalance cylinder 46 is substituted for the counterweight in the manner shown in HO. 1 and schematically in FIG. 6A the pressurized air supplied to the cylinder 46 being under the control of valves I and IV. The reference characters 134 and 136 designate check valves between the valves l and IV respectively and the cylinder 46. The piston of the cylinder is connected to the slide 13 through linkage which includes a lever 53 pivoted on the frame, as at 54, and a link 55 which connects the lever 53 to the slide 13. The cylinder 46 is adapted to be supplied automatically with air at different pressures during different parts of the roughing cycle whereby the pressure applied to the roughing tools is varied depending on the precise position of the roughing tools on the shoe profile. It will of course be appreciated that although in the specific embodiment described herein reference is made only to utilization of three different roughing-tool pressures, the roughing-tool pressure could be made continuously variable throughout the whole traverse of the roughing tool over the shoe profile and similarly both the longitudinal and transverse angular tilt of the roughing tool could be made continuously variable.

In one exemplary embodiment of the invention a pneumatic circuit diagram of which is shown in FIG. 7, the cylinder 46 is adapted to be supplied through suitable control systems with air at three different pressures from high, medium and low pressure regulators 50, 52 and 54 respectively connected to sources of pressurized air designated by the encircled dot symbol. The apparatus can, if desired, readily be adapted so as to provide air at a plurality of different pressures to the counterbalance air cylinder 46 whereby a plurality of different pressures can be applied to the shoe bottom when the roughing tool engages different portions thereof.

The partially fabricated shoe to be roughed is, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, mounted on a suitable last 62 mounted on a last carrier 64 adapted to be moved past the roughing tool in a manner known per se, such as by means of a rotatably driven spider 4. The last carrier 64 is provided with a toe support 66 mounted for longitudinal movement on the last carrier, the toe support being adapted to be locked in any desired position by a suitable locking means 68 which may be of a type known per se. A lever 70 is connected at one end to the toe support 66 and at its other end to a cam 72 which is slidably mounted on the last carrier 64. The longitudinal movement of the toe support 66 on the last carrier 64 is controlled by a pin 74 which is connected at one end to the lever 70 and is arranged to move in a slot 76 whilst a pin 78 mounted on the other end of the lever extends into slots 80 and 82 provided in the cam and the last carrier respectively. With this arrangement when a shoe upper 60 to be roughed is placed on the last 62 thetoe support 66ismovedlongitudinallyrelativetothelastcarrier64toadjustforthesizeof theparticularshoetobeworked.Longitudinal movement of the toe support 66 relative to the last carrier 64 serves to move the pin 74 through the slot 76 and via the lever 70 adjusts the longitudinal position of the cam 72 on the last carrier 64. The longitudinal displacement of the cam 72 in relation to the displacement of the toe support 66 may suitably be in a ratio of the order of 2:3 but this ratio is of course variable and the cam 72 is adjustable to cover all ranges and styles of shoes.

The cams 72 and 84 mounted on the last carrier 64 are adapted upon movement of the last carrier during the roughing cycle to actuate pneumatic control members and valves at predetermined points in the cycle as will be described in more detail hereinafter. The pneumatic valves serve to control the operation of the longitudinal and transverse angular tilt-adjustment cylinders 21 and 30 respectively and the roughing-tool counterbalance air cylinder 46. The ratio of the relative movement of the toe support 66 and the cam 72 is such that the valves are actuated at appropriate points in the roughing cycle in dependence on the particular profile of the shoe bottom for various ranges and sizes of shoes.

In setting up the lasts prior to commencement of a roughing cycle it is essential for uniform roughing of the lasted shoe that the position of the last relative to the last carrier and thus to the roughing tools be at a constant predetermined level. Heretofore in view of the fact that lasts of various different designs with last pin bores of different depths are encountered, it has been necessary to redrill all lasts to ensure a uniform depth of the last pin bore. This is obviously a laborious, time-consuming and economically unjustifiable arrange ment and thus the present invention incorporates an arrangement whereby the distance between the bottom of the last pin bore and the bottom of the heel portion of the last can be quickly and automatically adjusted to a predetermined value. This arrangement is shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C. Referring to these latter figures the last 62 is mounted on the last carrier 64 with the toe portion of the shoe engaging the toe support 66 and the heel portion being supported by a pin 90 which extends into a bore 92 formed in the last. The free end 94 of the pin extends into the bore 92 and the opposite end 96 of the pin 90 is secured to the closed end 98 of a tubular member 100 mounted for movement in a vertical plane within a bore 102 formed in the last carrier 64. A spring 104 extends longitudinally within the tubular member 100 and is effective to urge the tubular member and the pin 90 upwardly through the bore 92 tending to move the heel portion of the last in an upward direction. A ratchet 106 is formed on one side of the external surface of the tubular member 100 and a pawl 108 extending at right angles from a spring-biased lever 100 pivotally mounted on the last carrier 64 is normally urged into engagement with the ratchet 106 thereby to lock the tubular member 100 in a desired position within the bore 102 and thus lock the last pin 90 and the last 62 at a desired height above the last carrier 64. The lower end of the lever 1 l0 protrudes below the base of the last carrier 64 and is adapted upon each pass of the last carrier past the roughing tools to engage a cam 112 disposed in the path of travel of the last carrier whereby the lever 110 is pivoted in an anticlockwise direction thereby releasing the pawl 108 and enabling the last pin 90 to move upwardly to its furthest extent preparatory to removing the roughed shoe and placing a new lasted shoe on the last carrier ready for the next roughing cycle.

The last 62, after a shoe to be roughed has been loaded thereon, is moved by rotation of the driven spider toward the roughing tools en route to which the heel portion of the last engages the piston 122 of an air cylinder 120 the stroke of which is adjusted so that the piston 122 is extended to a distance whereat its free end is at a position corresponding to the desired height of the heel portion of the last above the last carrier. Upon engagement of the piston 122 with the last 62, the spring 104 is compressed by the pressure exerted on the last bottom by the piston 122 and the last pin 90 is moved downwardly through the bore 102 to a position whereat the last 62 is set at the desired and predetermined height and is locked in that position by means of the pawl 108 which engages with an appropriate tooth of the ratchet 106. With the last 62 set at the required height in this manner, it then proceeds through the roughing cycle whereafter and upon engagement of the lower end of the lever 110 with the cam 112 the pawl 108 is released. from engagement with the ratchet 106 and the last 62 is returned by the spring 104 to its uppermost position in readiness for the next roughing cycle.

In operation a shoe to be roughed is mounted on the last 62, and the toe support 66 mounted on the last carrier 64 is adjusted to accommodate that particular shoe and simultaneously adjusts the position of the cam 72. The apparatus is then set in operation and the last carrier 64 with a shoe mounted thereon is moved towards the roughing tools. At a point en route to the roughing tools the piston 122 of air cylinder 120 sets the last 62 to the predetermined height. Thereafter the last carrier 64 travels towards the first roughing tool and roughing of one side of the overlasted margin of the shoe is commenced The leading upwardly inclined toe end 36 of the shoe is roughened with the roughing tool in its normal untilted position both in the longitudinal and transverse direction at which it is inclined at an angle 011 (FIG. 4) relative to the shoe bottom in a longitudinal direction and at an angle [31 (FIG. 53) relative to the shoe bottom in a transverse direction. Also during this part of the roughing cycle the roughing-tool counterbalance air cylinder 46 is supplied with high-pressure air and the roughing tool exerts a low pressure on the margin of the shoe bottom. During this portion of the cycle the roughing tool travels in an upwardly inclined direction over the shoe bottom and at this time valve II (FIG. 7) is in its normally open position holding the pilot valve I in position to establish communication with high-pressure regulator 50, with the consequence that cylinder 46 is supplied with air at high pressure and the roughing pressure applied to the shoe is low.

When the last carrier has advanced to a position whereat the shoe profile changes from an upward to a downward inclination, i.e. at the transition from the toe 38 to the shank 40 portion, the cam 72 actuates the 4/2 way valve II and the pilot valve III is operated and pilot valve I is moved into its opposite position. This causes low pressure to be applied to cylinder 46 and consequently changes the roughing pressure from low to high. Simultaneously the roughing tool is tilted by means of a cylinder 21in a longitudinal angular direction to assume the angle a 4 (FIG. 4) in relation to the shoe bottom.

After the shank 40 of the shoe has been roughened the cam 84 operates the 3/2 way valve V which latter releases the pilot valves III, IV and VI, and the roughing tool is tilted backwardly by means of cylinder 21, in a longitudinal direction to assume the angular relationship a 3 (equal to a 1) (FIG. 4) and in a transverse angular direction by means of cylinder 30 to assume the angle 2 (FIG 5C), these angles being, of course, relative to the shoe bottom. This causes medium pressure to be applied to the counterbalance air cylinder 46 and consequently changes the roughing pressure from high to medium. At the end of the roughing operation when the shoe has passed both of the roughing tools 2, the cams 72 and 84 are operable to release valve II AND V and the roughing pressure is changed from medium to low and the transverse setting of the roughing tool is returned to its untilted position at an angle [3 l in readiness for the next cycle of operation of the machine. The roughing of the other side of the overlasted marginal portion of the shoe is of course effected by the other roughing tool in the same manner as the first side of the margln.

With reference to the system illustration of FIG. 7, the outlets of the pilot valve I are connected by tubing and 132 to check valves 134 and 136, and the check valve 134 is connected to the counterbalance cylinder 46 by tubing 138. The check valve 136 is connected to pilot valve IV by tubing 140. The control valve II is connected by tubing 141 to an inlet at one end of the pilot valve I and is connected by tubing 142 to the other end of the pilot valve. Branch tubing 144 connects an inlet of the control valve V to the tubing I41, and tubing 146 connects an outlet of valve V to the pilot valve III which is connected by feed and return lines 148 and 150 to the air cylinder 21. An outlet from valve V is connected by tubing 152 to an inlet to pilot valve IV and branch tubing 154 connects tubing 152 to one end of valve VI.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION Valves I, III, IV and VI are designated pilot valves and the term pilot valve means they are switchable or movable from one position to a second switchable position, in the same sense that electrical relays are switchable. These pilot valves have normal positions which they assume at the completion of a cycle of operation of the machine and continue to assume for a portion of the next machine cycle. The normal positions of the valves are as follows: The control valve II is normally open, and being by way of tubing 141 in communication with pilot valve 1, the latter is normally in a position to effect communication between the relatively high pressure of regulator 50 and the counterbalance cylinder 46 via check valve 134. At this starting phase of the machine the relatively high pressure acting on the piston of cylinder 46 applies a desired predetermined pressure on the tool 2 against the shoe margin to be roughened. Also, at the start of a machine cycle, the pilot valves III and IV are in positions to allow the longitudinally and transversely tiltable tool to remain in its normal starting or nontilt position, by reason of the fluid pressures being maintained at this time in the cylinders 21 and 30 by the valves III and VI. After the completion of the roughening of the toe portion of a shoe at the transition from the toe portion of the shoe profile to the shank portion, the control valve II is actuated by the cam 72 on the shoe carrier 64. This shifts the valve member of valve II which through its connections including tubing I41, 142, causes the valve I to shift. Also, by reason of tubing connections 144, 146, pilot valve III is shifted. The pilot valve I is moved to its opposite position which causes the establishing of communication between the relatively low pressure regulator 54 and the counterbalance cylinder 46. The tool is then moved down to maintain a pressure contact with the sloping shank portion of the shoe bottom. The shifting of the pilot valve III is effected simultaneously with the actuation of pilot valve I and the piston of cylinder 21 functions to tilt the to'ol longitudinally of the shoe bottom to effect a4 of FIG. 4. After the shoe reaches a point in its travel approaching the heel portion of the shoe, the cam 84 actuates the control valve V and holds it open for an interval corresponding to the interval required to complete the roughing of the heel portion. The opening of the valve V relieves the pressure on the pilot valve III, and pressure valves IV and VI which allows the tool 2 to be tilted by cylinder 21 in a direction longitudinal to the shoe bottom and assume the angle a3 of FIG. 4 and also to be tilted in a transverse direction by cylinder 30 to the angle B of FIG. 5C. 7

The pressurizing of pilot valve IV effects communication between both of the pressure regulators 50, 52 and the cylinder 46 to achieve a medium pressure of the tool against the shoe.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for roughing the overlasted margin portions of a shoe comprising a support frame; a pair of roughing tools; drive means mounted on said support frame for rotating said roughing tools; carrier means for moving a lasted, partially fabricated shoe past said roughing tools; means for automatically adjusting the angular relationship of said roughing tools in both a longitudinal and a transverse direction with respect to the shoe bottom at selected points in a roughing cycle; and

means for automatically varying the pressure exerted by said roughing tools on the shoe during difierent parts of the roughing cycle.

2. Apparatus for toughening the overlasted margin of a shoe upper having an irregularly shaped profile of a toe portion, shank portion and heel portion, a driven carrier operable to carry a shoe upper along a predetermined path of travel, a tool operable to roughen the overlasted bottom of the shoe upper and disposed along the path of travel thereof, said tool mounted for movement toward and away from the overlasted bottom of the shoe upper, a counterbalance operatively connected to said tool and operable to apply variable pressure to move the tool with variable pressure against different portions of the overlasted shoe upper, means operable to vary the pressure of said counterbalance, and a control member responsive to the position of said driven carrier to activate said means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said counterbalance is a variable fluid pressure and said control member is a valve.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 with the addition of means operable to tilt said tool and controlled by said control member.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 with the addition of a vertically movable mounting, another mounting horizontally movable on said vertically movable mounting and pivotally supporting said roughening tool, actuating means mounted on said another mounting operable to tilt said tool and controlled by said control member.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said counterbalance includes a relatively high fluid pressure source and a relatively low fluid pressure source operatively connected to and selectively controlled by said control member.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 with the addition of another control member responsive to another position of said carrier to effect a counterbalance including both said high and low sources of pressurized fluid. 

1. Apparatus for roughing the overlasted margin portions of a shoe comprising a support frame; a pair of roughing tools; drive means mounted on said support frame for rotating said roughing tools; carrier means for moving a lasted, partially fabricated shoe past said roughing tools; means for automatically adjusting the angular relationship of said roughing tools in both a longitudinal and a transverse direction with respect to the shoe bottom at selected points in a roughing cycle; and means for automatically varying the pressure exerted by said roughing tools on the shoe during different parts of the roughing cycle.
 2. Apparatus for roughening the overlasted margin of a shoe upper having an irregularly shaped profile of a toe portion, shank portion and heel portion, a driven carrier operable to carry a shoe upper along a predetermined path of travel, a tool operable to roughen the overlasted bottom of the shoe upper and disposed along the path of travel thereof, said tool mounted for movement toward and away from the overlasted bottom of the shoe upper, a counterbalance operatively connected to said tool and operable to apply variable pressure to move the tool with variable pressure against different portions of the overlasted shoe upper, means operable to vary the pressure of said counterbalance, and a control member responsive to the position of said driven carrier to activate said means.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said counterbalance is a variable fluid pressure and said control member is a valve.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 with the addition of means operable to tilt said tool and controlled by said control member.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 with the addition of a vertically movable mounting, another mounting horizontally movable on said vertically movable mounting and pivotally supporting said roughening tool, actuating means mounted on said another mounting operable to tilt said tool and controlled by said control member.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said counterbalance includes a relatively high fluid pressure source and a relatively low fluid pressure source operatively connected to and selectively controlled by said control member.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 with the addition of another control member responsive to another position of said carrier to effect a counterbalance including both said high and low sources of pressurized fluid. 